Ship



Oct. 12, 1943.

Filed Sept. 18, 1941 M. c. SCHWAB 2,331,735

SHIP

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 12, 1943. M. c. SCHWAB 2,331,735

SHIP Filed Sept. 18, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 Sheets-Shegt 4 SHIP Filed Sept. 18, 1941 Oct. 12, 1943. M. c. scHwAB JrZveza 2":

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Patented Oct. 12. 1943 UNITED STATES? PATENT 2,331,735: I v

SHIP Martin C. :Schwab, Chicago, Ill. Application September 18, 1941, Serial No. 411,370

4 Claims. -(c1.114- -240) This invention relates to protective. improvements for ships, and more particularly to a ship provided with hydraulic torpedo interceptors, deflectors, and detonators, whereby ,sea water or water from the turbine condensers is used as ammunition to defend the ship from attack by torpedoes and the like.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide surface watercraft with mechanism whereby water may be projected at high and even super-high muzzle velocities, thereby substantially enveloping said craft in a shell or shells of rapidly streaming water, said streaming shells serving to intercept, deflect and/or detonate projectiles hurled at the ship.

Another object is to provide a ship which uses water as defensive ammunition.

Yet another object is toprovide a ship with apparatus for pumping water from the sea and projecting it at high velocity through nozzles directed outwardly from the ship, in order to surround said ship with several successive curtains of rapidly streaming water, whereby objects which strike said curtains will be deflected away from said ship.

Another object is to provide apparatus whereby a ship may be protected by several zones of streaming fluid so that a projectile will be forced to penetrate all of saidzones in order to strikesaid ship.

Another object isto provide a plurality of nozzles directed at varying angles and mounted upon a single oscillating feed pipe, whereby the stream from. each of said nozzles is spread fanwise to form a streaming curtain, and the streaming curtains so formed are arranged in successive layers, each curtain enveloping the ship and all the preceding curtains.

Another object'is to provide apparatus for'encircling a ship with envelopes comprising moving streams of water.

Yet another object is to provide apparatus for producing jets of fluid and directing them out- Wardly from a ship in order to deflect objects directed thereat.

A further object is to provide an improved method for defending a ship by means of streams of Water.

Still further objects are to provide apparatus of maximum simplicity, economy, case of use, and reliability for the purposes herein set forth.

The foregoing and such other objects, advantages and capabilities as may appear herein or be pointed out as this description proceeds, or as are inherent in the present invention, are illustrated in the accompanying} drawingsim which:

Figure 1 is av somewhat. diagrammatic plan view of a ship constructed according to the present invention and shows thedefensiye means.

thereof in operation. g

,Figure2 is a somewhatdiagrammatie fra mentary front elevationalview, of aportionof.

the present invention, and illustrates, the; action. of the streams of water in defiecting or detonate.

ing, torpedoes.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational viewjof a'jshipf constructed according to the present invention Figure 4- is a side elevational view of a preferred form of apparatusemplpyed in operating the defensive, mechanism of the. present invention. Y

Figure Sis a plan iew lookingdownward, on line 5 -5 of Figure 4=, and, illustratesa portionof the nozzle oscillating, mechanism.

Figure 6 is a plan View lookingdown'ward, on,"

line 6- 6, of Figure 4. p v I Figure 7 is a fragmentary sideelevational View illustrating an alternative; construction for feeding fluid to the nozzles and for reciprocating said nozzles. I I I H Figure 8 is aside elevational; view of another.

embodiment of my invention.

Like reference; charactersare used to desig nate similar-parts in the; drawingsand in the-de scription of the inventionv which follows.

Referring: now more particularly to: the drawings, Figure 1 discloses a ship l, ex mplifled bn but not limited to, a battleship. ;Statione d at.

regular intervals about, the periphery of the.- deck of said ship areia, plurality of pumps 2 adapted to force fluid through the nozzles .3: at high muz- In Figure 1, a jet. 4:;- 'of. water s' zle velocities. shown streaming, from. each nozzle; 1;.

Figure. 2 shows. the Water-handling apparatus in greater detail. The pump: -2 draws waterinto the, inlet. 9 and through. the supp rr ne; Li d.-

forces the. water; under high; pressure inta'the nozzle feed pipe. 8; and. thenceythrough.they-11oz zles 3.

tion; The motor,-Dieseli engine, steam-turbine,

or other. source of. power; exemplified herein:I

the motor it, operates: the. pump 21,. which in y be, for example, a. high pressure centrifugal 16- stage direct connected. pump. Said pump draws; water through .tlziez 'supply-jpipe land forces; it.

under high pressure into'the nozzle feedpip'e' Figure 4' illustrates a preferredriorm gofvthe, water projecting; apparatus of. the present; inven,:

subassembly.

. A suitable clutch (not shown) may be provided, in order that the pump may be operated without oscillating the feed pipe 8 and the nozzles 3, 3, 3 attached thereto.

In Figure the relative position of the drive link H at one extreme of the cycle of oscillation is shown in solid lines, and the position of said link H at the opposite extreme of the cycle of oscillation is indicated in broken lines.

As is apparent from Figures 4 and 6, each nozzle is provided with an independent shut-01f valve 14, and with an universal joint (such as the ball and socket joints illustrated), whereby the nozzle 3 may be adjusted to direct the stream therefrom in any desired direction. Suitable adiusting means also are provided. In Figures 4 and 6 said adjusting means are exemplifled by the adjusting handles I6, l6, 16, the adjusting rods l1, I1, I! and the looks or set stops l8, l8, l8. Said locks l8, l8, l8 are adapted to prevent relative movement of the nozzles after said nozzles have been set in any desired position.

Figure 8 illustrates an alternative construction 'in which a pipe line l9 surrounds the ship slightly above the waterline. Said pipe line I9 is provided with appropriate shut-off valves 20, and with a plurality of nozzles 3, 3, 3. This arrangement may be used in conjunction with one or more nozzle units mounted upon the deck of the ship.

Figure 7 illustrates yet another modification of the invention, according to which the nozzles 3, 3 do not protrude from the pipe line in clusters, but are spaced singly. Projecting inwardly as an extension of each nozzle is the lever arm 20, which is fastened to the drive rod 21. Thus it will be apparent that reciprocation of the rod 2| produces synchronous oscillation of the nozzles 3, 3, all of which remain parallel to each other at every stage in the cycle of oscillation.

Having described the construction of my improved ship, the operation thereof will now be explained in detail.

Ordinarily the defensive mechanism of the present invention will not be set in operation until the ship is in a zone of danger. Under exceptional circumstances, however, said defensive mechanism can be maintained in operation continuously over long periods of time. To operate the defensive apparatus, the motors H) are started, whereupon water is drawn up through the inlet 9 into the supply pipe I, and thence to the nozzle feed pipe 8 and the nozzles 3, 3, 3, from which the water is projected at high nozzle velocities, say of the order of 700 to 1,000 pounds per square inch, or even higher. As the nozzles oscillate, the jets therefrom in effect form walls of rapidly streaming water, as is made apparent in Figure '1. Whenever the nozzles in any one cluster are adjusted to direct their jets one above the other, and the various clusters are oscillated assess in phase, a plurality of these defensive walls is formed.

The defensive action is not limited to the surface of the sea. On the contrary, the force of these jets causes them to retain their identity even after they have penetrated substantial distances below the surface of the sea.

As is shown in Figure 2, a submarine 24 or other aggressor must force its torpedo 22 through several separate walls or defensive zones, in order to injure the ship I. When a torpedo is struck by one of the jets 4, the force of the impact may be suflicient to detonate said torpedo, as is indicated at 23. Otherwise, the rapidly streaming defensive zones will deflect the torpedo and turn it back in its course, as is indicated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 8. The torpedoes may even be directed back to the very submarine which fired them, thus destroying the attacker'of my new and improved ship.

Since each nozzle is adjustable independently of all the others, all the nozzles in one cluster, or in several clusters, may be adjusted so as to since all the streams from one cluster of nozzles,

or for that matter, all the streams from a pin-- rality of clusters of nozzles, may be directed alongthe most probable path of the approaching:

torpedo in order to concentrate the defensive, force where it is most needed. From the fore-- going, it will be apparent that one of the greatadvantages of the instant invention lies in its flexibility. The moving walls of water serve as armor, yet they are mobile and adaptable, so that the protective action is flexible, and may be shifted rapidly to concentrate the protection where the risk is greatest. Furthermore, the ship is not slowed down, nor is its cargo capacity diminished, by the dead Weight of a mass of steel armor plate. Whenever the necessity of defense occurs, my improved ship literally lifts up the sea and makes it serve as a protecting mantle.

The flexibility of the present invention is demonstrated in yet another way. In areas.

where the risk is relatively slight, only one nozzle in each cluster may be open, so that the ship is surrounded by a single wall of streaming water. As the need increases, the second, third, fourth, and succeeding nozzles in eachcluster may be opened to enclose the ship in two, three, four or even more substantially concentric shells of fluid armor. Similarly, the nozzles fastened to the pipe line l9 which surround the hull may be operated alone or in conjunction with the nozzles mounted upon the decks.

If the nozzles are placed more than about eighteen feet above sea level, a booster pump or reservoirs must be used. It will also be apparent that waste water from the ships condensers may be utilized for defensive purposes according to the plan of the present invention. In such cirr cumstance, however, it may be necessary to cool this condenser Waste water somewhat, since the vapor tension of hot water interferes with the suction feeding of the same to the force pumps.

As will be apparent, the details of my invention may be utilized in numerous combinations and permutations. For example, the nozzles need not be arranged on the decks, nor yet upon pipes surrounding the hullof the ship, but if desired,

' may protrude from the port holes, of the;-vesse1.

Thus it will be seen that I have fully disclosed new ship constructions, and novel apparatus for armoring a, ship through the agency of the very water upon which said ship is floating, which novel constructions and apparatus obviate disadvantages inherent in ships heretofore known, and accomplish the objects set forth in this specification. Further, I have fully disclosed a highly novel method for protecting watercraft from the attacks of enemy vessels.

My improved ship has numerous fields of application other than those herein specifically set forth. For example, my improved ship may be used to defend other ships by drawing alongside and directing the nozzles in such manner that the streaming curtains of Water envelope the vessel being protected, as well as the protecting vessel. My improved ship may also be placed into service for fire fighting purposes, and is admirably adapted to extinguish fires on other vessels. By directing the nozzles across the decks, the Water-throwing mechanism disclosed herein may also be used to put out incendiary bombs or fires which may be started on the ship itself during battle or otherwise.

While I have illustrated my invention by describing particular embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations therefrom may be made without departing from the scope of the instant invention.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its utility, I claim:

1. A ship comprising a hull, a plurality of nozzles arranged about the periphery of said hull above the water line and directed outwardly,

means for pumping fiuid through said nozzles at high velocities, and means operated by said pumping means for oscillating said nozzles, whereby said ship may be substantially surrounded by a shield of rapidly streaming water spaced from said ship and adapted to ward oil torpedoes and the like.

2. A ship comprising a hull, a plurality of nozzle banks arranged about the periphery of said hull above the water line, means for drawing sea water and projecting it through said nozzles at high velocity, and means for continuously oscillating said nozzles, each of said banks forming a sheet of streaming water spaced from said hull and substantially enveloping the same, whereby a plurality of successive spaced defensive zones are interposed between said ship and enemy vessels.

3. Apparatus for using the water upon which a ship floats as defensive ammunition, comprising a pump, motive means for operating said pump, a pipe for supplying water to said pump, an oscillatable tube, a supply pipe hermetically joined to said oscillatable tube and to said pump, eccentric means operated by said motive means and arranged to oscillate said oscillatable tube upon the central longitudinal axis thereof, a plurality of nozzles connected with the interior of said oscillatable tube, said nozzles being adjustable, adjusting means for each of said nozzles,

. means for locking each of said nozzles in selected to each other, and lock means for maintaining each nozzle in set position.

MARTIN C. SCHWAB 

